THE THIRD EYE

Technology
has done wonders like never before; it has been helpful as well destructive for
the humans over the centuries. In the process of evolution and evolving
technological innovations humans have invented a third eye, and it became part
of our lives in the year 1816 when Nicephor Niepce developed the
photograph/image with his camera. Camera has become part of our life and
understanding from the early 1900. Today our perception and perspective is
molded day-in and day-out with the help of the third eye (The Camera). Today we
see the world through it, we understand, empathies, sympathies, get emotional;
and get annoyed at events that we seen on various media sites and other social
networking sites that we use. In fact what we know of our surroundings is
through the camera. We started to believe more in what we see through the third
eye/camera than our own eyes. People stage activities and other events to fool
people around the world with the help of camera. We become active participants
when something is reveled through the camera, but on the other handwe become
inactive, passive, and incapable of doing anything, when our own eyes are part
of an incident/event.

The
statement ‘Seeing is Believing’ holds
true for majority of people around the world, especially when it is through
various mediums. Over the years the third eye/camera has also undergone changes
from visible to invisible with the help of modern technology. The visible and
unseen has been shaping and reshaping our institutional and societal functions
at large in various aspects from the time it has been introduced (Camera). The
technology that we have developed today, made certain things possible, as we
have access to observe and understand many aspects of our society, culture,
lifestyle and various other elements without our physical presence (CCTV
footages). With the help of the camera, we are witnessing various activities
like the good, bad and ugly aspects that were hidden, or many a times would
have gone unnoticed. In many cases the Big Brother is able to watch the entire
world siting at one place with the help of the third eye (CCTV/Satellite
images). Is the fear of unknown and surveillance making people behave
themselves or not is subjective matter, according to R K Ragavan former CBI
Director and statistics from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) it has
not yielded any good results? Even when
the Banks, ATMs, corporate organizations and other institutions are secured by
the personal and other surveillance robbery and crimes are committed in broad
daylight. According to Stuart Waiton “cameras are often impractical and limited
at doing what they are supposed to do – reduce crime and the fear of it, and to
catch criminals”. The camera has not deterred the criminals so far as crime is
concerned rather it is the opposite. In order to infuse faith in the governance
and institutions the state has increased the surveillance at public places and
other areas. Considering the positive and negative points, one would see more
negative aspects; as the common people have lost free places that were
generally out from surveillance. Minton argues that “There has been a corrosion
of a public ethos within much of the urban regeneration of recent years –
something that has resulted in the ‘death’ of the city as a living public
sphere (Minton 2009).

Today
camera is been extensively used by individuals, media houses and those with the
vested interests. Camera combined with the internet became part of our mobile
phones with the help of technological advancements and its integration, this
integration of technology is making everyone experience and live the hell and
heaven at the same time. “The academic literature within surveillance studies,
whilst raising an array of useful insights about technology, modernity,
consumer society and governance, appeared to either lack a sense of agency or to
give too great a sense of a domineering Big Brother, to explain why cameras and
surveillance had become so significant” (Waiton 2010). One can always argue
that the growing threats and insecurities as one of the reason for over
surveillance that is making people to accept being watched.

1.The Mobile phone camera

At
a another level the camera has become an instrumental tool in exposing the dirt
to an extent that is often invisible to our naked eye; it has exposed the dirt
with regard to media, politics, god men, religion, crime and various other
events that are part of our society, and that often go unnoticed. Mobile phones
and CCTV are playing a vital role in exposing the reality like never before
giving certain advantage to the common man on issues like corruption and
crime. The integration of technology has
turned out to be boon and bane at the same time. Today apart from the million
eyes that are watching us, we have added equal number of eyes in the form of
mobile phone cameras and CCTV. Individuals have become vulnerable and empowered
with the introduction of mobile camera; Ordinary citizens are becoming
reporters and are contributing in the News production and information, on the
other hand they themselves are becoming the subjects for others. The media
houses are increasingly adapting to crowd sourcing method for News and other
information. Media web sites and television channels are encouraging the common
man to contribute to the News, during emergencies and other national disasters.
People are requested to post or upload videos that are useful for the general
public. We see a lot of News both audio/video and text contributed by the
people in the media web sites like CNN, BBC,NDTV and many other international
and national media agencies. The common man with the help of the third
eye/camera is able to expose the crimes, incidents, events, corruption and
other with this powerful instrument.

2.The Role
of CCTV

With
the increasing crime rate in many parts of the world people are taking help of
the CCTV. Today we see all the government, private institutions including the
individual and public property, heavily guarded with the help of the third
eye/cameras. Though the crime rate has
not decreased with the CCTV introduction, most of the criminals are been caught
with the help of the CCTV footages. The police and investigative agencies are
able to piece together the crime scene with the help of the CCTV. We are able
to do justice to the victims and send the criminals behind the bars with the
help of the CCTV footages, also we are able to see how the crime has taken
place with the help of the third eye/camera that is recording the moves of
every individual at Air ports, railway stations, bus terminals, banks, and
ATM’s including all the public and private places. It is the third eye that is
preventing criminals to be on a back foot in certain instances. But one has to
understand that he/she is under constant gaze of the third eye, and it is
impossible to escape its gaze in the present settings.

What
we see in media and other information sites is what our perception about our
society. We spend a lot of time decoding and coding what is shown to us with
the help of communication tools like television and various other mediums of
communication. We believe in media more than our own eyes; people have positive
inclination and respect to certain media houses for their ethics and unbiased
objective reporting. People who exposed the dirt and corruption involving the
politicians and the government with the help of (hidden cameras) have
themselves became victims. It is not just the media that got exposed; many
institutions around the world are being exposed with the help of third eye. The
gullible nature of people is taken advantage by many God men in our country.
The third eye exposed many fake God men in compromising positions and indulging
in anti-social activities. ‘No one is a
thief until there are caught’ this holds true to all the fake God men,
politicians and many individuals in prominent positions. It is not the omnipresent
God who is watching us but the ‘the third
eye/camera is watching everyone’ and no individual can escape the gaze of
this powerful eye.

There
is no doubt that camera has been instrumental in avoiding and altering various
evils that existed in our society. On the other hand the ordinary folk often
become prey to this powerful instrument; the internet is filled with content
that is extensively recorded with the help of the mobile camera. The
invisibility of the third eye combined with the hidden motives of people; make
young teens and college girls including house wives and working women
vulnerable and victims to this powerful instrument. The third eye is been
abused like never before if one analyses the content on the internet and social
networking sites. Millions of ordinary men and women lives are at stake for the
activities that they do willingly or unwillingly get exposed for the rest of
the world. The third eye is highly appreciated when it expose the dirt and
evils in our society, especially with regard to corruption, politics, culture,
fake God men, illegal practices, abuse at working places etc. butat the same
time it is also highly criticized for the unethical use by state, organizations
and few individuals. Can we escape the gaze of the third eye? Are there any
options? May be yes, one should be alert and careful with their surroundings,
irrespective of the place, one should not forget that we are been constantly
watched, not only by the people, but also by the invisible third eye/camera.

About the author: Dr. A. Nagraj is serving as Assistant
Professor in the Department of Communication, English and Foreign Languages
University, Hyderabad. Previously he served as Assistant Professor in the
department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Tezpur University, Assam. His articles are published in daily newspapers and magazines. He is a
regular contributor of Dimorian Review also. A good number of his research
articles have been published in national and international research journals.
He has participated and presented a good number of research papers in various
national as well as international seminars. He is also associated with various
scientific associations/ bodies.

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